Sony Is Skipping E3 2019

Fans line up at Sony’s booth during E3 2018. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Sony is skipping next year’s E3, ditching its traditional booth and press conference in a move that will have a significant negative impact on the video game industry’s annual trade show.

The Entertainment Software Association, the lobbyist group that runs E3, confirmed the news today.

This is yet another blow to the annual Los Angeles trade show, which has seen multiple publishers drop out over the past few years. Electronic Arts now holds its own event in Hollywood in the days leading up to E3, while last year Microsoft rented out a theatre at L.A. Live, a few minutes away from the convention center where E3 takes place. Nintendo has spent the past five years eschewing traditional press conferences in favour of pre-recorded videos, and with Sony gone, one of E3's other marquee press conferences will now also not be present in 2019.

Sony also typically occupies a massive chunk of one of the convention center’s two main halls, so the company’s absence will leave a significant hole for the ESA to fill.

The move makes sense for Sony, as the company’s 2019 presser would presumably revolve around three of the four games it showcased last year: Death Stranding, The Last of Us 2, and Ghost of Tsushima, none of which currently have release dates. All three are expected to come out in the latter half of 2019 or later.

It’s also yet another hint at the timing of Sony’s next PlayStation. Based on conversations with developers across the industry, I expect the PlayStation 5 to be released in 2020, and the publisher skipping E3 2019 certainly points to that.

If they really want to they can once again put on a nice show to present some Ghost of Tsushima, TLOU2, Death Stranding, Dreams, MediEvil, other third party exclusives footages etc. mixed in with some 3rd party announcement and trailers, pretty much what MS did in 2018. But PS4 is slowly winding down, and the sales is now at a point where it is just smooth sailing and they no longer have to do anything more. They have done enough this generation and it's time to gear up for the next. It's as simple as that.

I definitely believe that the PS4 has another 5 years on its lifeline. It still has so much use todayand definitely has so much further potential. I mean look at games like RDR2, The Witcher 3 and Horizon Zero Dawn, they all run incredibly on the PS4 pro. I think less people wouldnt be making the switch to PS5 than Sony would expect

I agree with you WhitePointer this year's E3 for Sony was horrible fuck that Shawn Layden.
But it's a big blow for Sony as they will not be hosting the next E3 event in 2019 even Death Stranding Naughty Dog's The Last of Us 2 and Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima haven't got a 2019 release date yet for PS4. Not even Nintendo will be hosting their 2019 E3 event either which is bullshit but I am expecting to see some Nintendo Direct's in 2019 to see what games will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2019 and beyond.

It's far from a 'big blow'. Sony have already shown the TLOU2, Days Gone, Ghost, Dreams Stranding, GranBlue Fantasy etc. are still to come for the PS4, mix in with huge 3rd party blockbusters incoming we can still expect plenty of life for the dated console. Sony have done their job with the PS4, it's time to slowly wind down and prepare for the next generation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with skipping E3 in 2019 since the sales of PS4 are now on cruise control and everybody knows what to expect. It's not bull shit, and it's not arrogance - it's a business move that makes sense.

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